New research has found that many Britons have experienced some form of cybercrime, including identity theft, hacking and even abuse on social media. The research also uncovered that the UK is losing an estimated £670m a year through cybercrime – however, with many cases going unreported, the true figure is expected to be higher.

This data was released last week, to coincide with a national initiative – Get Safe Online Week, aimed at raising awareness of online security. Of the 2,075 people surveyed, over half (51%) admitted to being a victim of online crime. Of those who had experienced cybercrime, 50% said they felt very or extremely violated by the experience.

Rather interestingly, less than a third of those who had been victims of online crime had reported the incident. Around half of the victims said they didn’t know who to report online crime to. A spokesperson for Get Safe Online Week says he expects those figures to change thanks to the work...

A new report highlights poor mental health care for pregnant women and the costly repercussions.

The London School of Economics and the Centre for Mental Health have issued a report that says poor mental care for pregnant women is costing a staggering £8bn.

Mental health problems are common among pregnant women, and one in five will develop depression, anxiety or psychoses – bipolar disorder or schizophrenia – while pregnant or following childbirth.

This means that for all the births in one year, society is paying what the report claims is a “shocking” price for poor mental health care.

The report adds that problems such as depression and anxiety should be “of major importance” not only due to the impact on new mothers, but also ” because they have been shown to compromise the healthy emotional, cognitive and even physical development of the child.”

Unfortunately, the findings suggest half of all cases of depression among new mothers and pregnant women go undetected, and that many of these women do not...

Dealing with conflict in a healthy way is key to lasting relationships.

All relationships will come up against conflict, no matter how perfect they appear to be on the outside. Contrary to popular belief, it is rarely the conflict itself that causes difficulties in a relationship, but the way you deal with it.

What doesn’t work:

There are several tactics that you may use to try and deal with conflict that simply lead to further conflict. You may find yourself threatening or blaming your partner to make them see things your way.

Alternatively you may shut down, refusing to deal with the situation, or complying with everything your partner says to avoid the issue. The trouble with all of these tactics is that they fail tackle the underlying issue – meaning the conflict is never truly resolved.

What does work:

1. Having intent to learn

Conflict occurs when both parties feel differently about a situation. While it is tempting to look at the conflict as...

New research highlights the extent of poor body image and low self-esteem in people today.

Low body confidence is a worldwide problem, and according to a recent survey, the consequences of such poor self-esteem are becoming ever more serious – posing a danger to our health, work life and relationships.

Coinciding with Body Confidence Week, figures released by Be Real show that sixteen million people are troubled by how they look. Furthermore, 1.6 million are currently living with an eating disorder and 18 million do not exercise due to anxiety over their body image.

The survey results also showed that one quarter feel their body image prevents them from having fulfilling relationships, while one in four said they avoid speaking out in a meeting or in school due to their appearance anxieties.

One fifth said their low body confidence even stopped them from applying for a job they wanted.

Speaking about these findings, Caroline Nokes MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image, said in a statement:

A scathing report by the Care Quality Commission reveals that every dementia sufferer is at risk of experiencing unacceptable levels of care.

Some of the most vulnerable elderly people in Britain are still routinely denied compassion and basic care, despite continued scrutiny on the standards of care – according to the Care Quality Commission.

The health watchdog found that every dementia sufferer is ‘likely’ to come across impersonal, uncaring or rushed care during some point of their care – whether that is in care homes or hospitals.

This worrying assessment of standards follows a programme of inspections that focused on standards of care for those with dementia. The inspections covered a sample of 129 care homes and 20 hospitals in England and looked at four key areas:

whether patients’ individual needs are being properly assessed

how care was planned and delivered

how different providers worked together

how the quality of care was monitored.

The inspections found that the assessments designed to identify care needs for...

A pill could help heavy drinkers cut back when combined with psychological therapy.

Recent trials show that a tablet called nalmefene can cut drinking by 61% over a period of six months when used in tandem with counselling. It is estimated that 60,000 NHS patients will be eligible to receive this life-saving pill.

The drug, also known as Selincro, is taken once a day when people feel the urge to have a drink. The way it works is by blocking the part of the brain that gives the drinker pleasure, stopping them from wanting any more than one drink.

With this in mind, the pill is not recommended for alcoholics. The aim is to help heavy drinkers cut down, rather than quit alcohol entirely. Experts say that the drug (which costs £3 per tablet) could help to save around 1,854 lives in five years and prevent over 43,000 alcohol-related injuries and diseases.

The drug is being recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) who believe that the drug is cost effective for the NHS when used alongside counselling.

This year World Mental Health Day is shining a light on schizophrenia. Keep reading to find out more about the disorder and how you can help raise awareness.

World Mental Health day is an initiative run by the World Federation for Mental Health and was first celebrated in 1992. The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness of various mental health issues, including mental health education and advocacy. Each year a different mental health concern is addressed, and this year the focus is on schizophrenia.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a condition that affects the way a person thinks, feels and acts. The symptoms vary, however a common denominator is that those with the condition find it difficult to judge reality. Symptoms include:

difficulty sleeping

changes in appetite

inconsistent feelings/emotions

skewed perception of reality

hearing voices and/or hallucinations.

How can it be treated?

Treatments will differ according to the individual; however talking therapies combined with medication is usually advised...

Waiting time targets are to be introduced for those with mental health concerns in England.

Nick Clegg has revealed plans for reforming the mental health service in a speech to the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow. Under the plan people suffering from depression should start talking therapy treatments within 18 weeks (starting April next year) and young people experiencing psychosis for the first time should be seen within 14 days. It is also understood that suicidal patients will get the same priority as those with suspected heart attacks.

The plan itself will cost £125 million, Clegg says this is the first step in reforming ‘Cinderella’ mental health services. On top of the initial cash injection, Clegg says the Lib Dems will extend the extra money for mental health if they are voted into government. They also intend to introduce similar waiting time targets for conditions such as eating disorders and bipolar.

While critics have pointed out that the targets are not overly ambitious, the Department of Health has said the targets are ‘very...